At about 5:30 PM yesterday Farrah heard a large crashing sound in our backyard. It seems the old lemon tree we have there decided to partially crash.

The other half of the tree is up and seems to be holding well.  We trimmed a few branches from its side just in case.

Anyone need any lemons?

I Know A Little Bit

OK, I have an idea of what I can write in the future on Janella.com. I have always said of myself, “I know a little bit about a lot of things.” I’m a classic example of being a “Jack of all trades, master of none”. Unfortunately, I’m not really an expert in any area, but this fact hasn’t stopped friends and family asking my advice on a few things.

I’m planning on writing a few entries on subjects I am asked about often. I am going to breakdown the what, where, why and how of the subject. I’ll try to make each entry short enough to read within five minutes, so posts won’t be too long.

Most of what I learn on a subject is through everyday application, reading, and listening to podcasts. I claim to be no expert, so please don’t take what I write as the final answer. I hope you find what I write helpful.

Morcheeba @ The Fillmore 4.11.2008

I’m a bit late with my review of the Morcheeba concert Farrah and I went to last week.  The taxman could not wait, taking up all my spare time until today.

I knew of Morcheeba, owning a couple of albums, but to be honest I hadn’t really been into them.  I prefer Massive Attack’s music. Morcheeba has always taken a backseat on my playlists.  They are touring to support their latest album, Dive Deep.  I downloaded the album via Amazon and enjoyed it’s laid back groove.  It’s no Big Calm, but it’s worth a spin.  So when I heard they were touring, I asked Farrah if she wanted to go.  We haven’t been to a concert for awhile so why not?

It was difficult to get into the opening act, who’s name escapes me now.  It just wasn’t my cup of tea. It probably didn’t help that we were a bit tired and they sang in Spanish(?).  About a half hour after the end of their set, Morcheeba took the stage.

Morcheeba @ Fillmore

[Photo by Julien Genestoux]

I wasn’t sure what to expect.  All I knew was that they’ve had revolving lead singers since Skye Edwards was asked to leave.  The lead singer that night was Manda from Nemesea, who flew in from France.  Cool, huh?

Manda sang the new songs and the hits.  Songs I remember from that night, that I enjoyed Part of the Process, The Sea, Over and Over, Tigger Hippie, Rome Wasn’t Built In a Day, and the new single Enjoy the Ride.  I clearly enjoyed a lot of songs for not being a big Morcheeba fan.  This just goes to show you how good the performance was.

Friday night concerts are difficult at times.  You come home from work, you really want to enjoy the weekend starting that night, but an hour drive up to the City, plus waiting time for the band you want to hear, well, it’s just plain tough on the body.  I chalk it up to not being as young as I used to be. But I must say, Morcheeba lived up to what I thought the concert would be.  They put on a very solid performace at the always enjoyable Fillmore in San Francisco.

My First Flickr Video

Times Square in NYC

New York City Recap

Grand Central Terminal

Grand Central Terminal

It has been a week since we came back from our trip to New York City. I thought about writing a day-by-day account of our adventures in The Big Apple, but I think the Twitter postings during our trip suffice.

What I will do is point out some highs, and a few lows, on the trip.

Getting Around

Best Experience: Virgin America and walking.  As expected, Virgin America provided an enjoyable airline experience.  The plane is new and comfortable, and you have slight legroom.  You get as many free drinks as you want, but no free food.

You are going to walk if you are in New York City.  You’d be surprised how far your feet can carry you in the city.  So bring a good pair of shoes, and prepare for a few blisters.

That's one big M&M

That’s one big M&M

Fine Experience: The Subway.  Not as clean and easy to navigate at The Tube, but once we figured out where we wanted to go, the Subway was the best method to get there.

OK Experience: Taxicabs. The only time we took a cab was from JFK to Manhattan and back.  It was a $60 investment each way (including toll and tip).  Nice to know the cost upfront, but it seems a bit steep.  I’m not sure how much it would be if it were not a flat rate (of $45).

Eating

Best: Gray’s Papaya.  An amazing birthday dinner experience to have two dogs with onions and drink, only for $3.50!  Also, Katz’s Delicatessen provided an amazing dining experience. If you want a corned beef or pastrami sandwich, you better stop by Katz’s in the Lower East Side.

Katz!!! Yum!!!

Katz!!! Yum!!!

Fine: The Red Flame. A decent place to grab a quick breakfast.  It was convenient, located just down the street from our hotel.  They get you in and out as fast as possible.  Cafe Habana is a very crowded place in Little Italy.  Try the Cuban sandwich and the corn.  Yum.

Bad: Maxie’s Delicatessen.  Overpriced awful food.  Also, how can you not make a good cup of coffee?

The Sights

It's the Brooklyn Bridge!

It’s the Brooklyn Bridge!

Best:  There are so many things to see in New York City.  What still stands out in my mind are the Brooklyn Bridge, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Grand Central Terminal.  I love Grand Central Terminal.  The first time seeing it, and having breakfast downstairs on a subsequent morning, will not leave my memory any time soon.  Times Square is amazing, the first time you experience it, both day and night.

Walking down the spiral staircase at the Apple StoreWalking down the spiral staircase at the Apple Store.

Fine: Top of the Rock, the NBC Studio tour, the Apple Store on 5th Avenue, and SoHo in general.

From the Top of the Rock

From the Top of the Rock

Bad: The third time going through Times Square.  All the people just started getting on my nerves.

Other Things to Note

We also saw Young Frankenstein, our first Broadway play.  The play was funny and entertaining even though Megan Mullally wasn’t performing that evening.

The Sofitel was the hotel we stayed at in Manhattan.  Very nice hotel, with a pleasant room and splendid staff. If we were to go back to New York City and wanted to stay in Midtown again, I would want to stay here again.

Overall, the New York City experience was a great experience.  A big thank you to my beautiful wife for giving me a fantastic birthday present, and memories we can share the rest of our lives.

[Note: For photos of our trip to NYC, please see the Photographs section.]

Here's Looking At You Kid

As this entry posts, I will be in New York City with Farrah. First off, I want to thank everyone who celebrated my birthday the other night. I was really happy to see everyone.

Now, please tolerate my incoherent ramblings, as I try to purge my mind of the few thoughts I have regarding this milestone birthday, the fortieth year of my life. My thoughts sway to and fro of what has been and what is to come. I have been thinking more about the future, about what I want. I think that is a good thing. As I think I’ve stated before, I am not one to dwell on the past.

These past weeks, at times I have felt like David Bowman, the protagonist in 2001: A Space Odyssey, at the end of that film. If I recall the scene correctly, Bowman stands in a bright white room, wearing his orange spacesuit. He looks into the room and sees an old man. The old man, eating his supper, looks back at Bowman but he is no longer there. You then realize that the old man is Bowman himself. The scene repeats itself with an older version of Bowman looking at a younger version until he dies. But he is reborn as the Star Child, and… I don’t get that far in the way I feel though.

So I catch myself looking forward to looking back. I suppose we all do that at times, but I guess with the birthday it is amplified. You know, I think about those dreams: the education, the car, the house, the 2.5 kids, and the rest of the things everyone wants. It’s a matter of striving to get there, right?

I don’t think I’m required to have some huge revelation at this age. Perhaps I will, but it hasn’t happened as yet.

Taking Off To New York City

We’re getting ready to go to New York City! We’re taking Virgin America as our airline. I’m hoping for as a good flight experience as we had when we took Virgin Atlantic to London last year.

I’ll see if I can blog from NYC on the iPhone. I’m not sure if it will happen. At the least, I’ll provide some updates via Twitter - which will, in turn, appear on the blog.

I know, the weather outlook in NYC looks pretty wet. I’m hoping it’s not. Either way, I won’t let it damper the trip.

Video no longer available

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!

I can’t say much is going on this fine and sunny day. We’re still in the midst of cleaning up, planning, and packing for our trip to New York City in a couple of days. I just wanted to post something real quick on the site.

Next door they are having an Easter egg hunt. The neighborhood has been short on the kid factor the last several years. It’s good (for now) to hear kids playing and screaming.

I went to visit my father at the cemetery today with my mom. There were a lot of people there, normal for a holiday such as today. The roads don’t seem to be busy. I’m guessing everyone is visiting family.

Thought I’d throw in the cute video I had posted on my Found page. When in doubt, show a cute video.